LANGMUIR-BLODGETT NANOSTRUCTURE MONOLAYERS

• US 20090169807A1
• Filed: 12/02/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Hess, Christian, Kim, Franklin, Tao, Andrea, Yang, Peidong
• Application Number:
  US12/326,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20090169807A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/119
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/658 enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24174 including sheet or component perpendicular to plane of web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2973 Particular cross section
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/298 Physical dimension

Abstract

Methods for assembly of monolayers of nanoparticles using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique, as well as monolayers, assemblies, and devices are described. The surface properties of these monolayers are highly reproducible and well-defined as compared to other systems. These monolayers can readily be used for molecular detection in either an air-borne or a solution environment, and sensors using the monolayer could have significant implications in chemical and biological warfare detection, national and global security, as well as in medical detection applications.

Claims

1. A structure, comprising:

a monolayer of non-spherical nanostructures.

2. A structure as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a substrate supporting said monolayer.

3. A structure as recited in claim 2, wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting essentially of silicon wafers, glass slides, and polymer and other substrates.

4. A structure s recited in claim 2, wherein said monolayer and substrate combination is configured as a surface enhanced Raman Spectroscopy substrate.

5. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said monolayer is embedded in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

6. A structure as recited in claim 5, wherein said embedded monolayer is configured as a simple wire-grid optical polarizer.

7. A structure as recited in claim 1:

wherein said nanostructures have a controlled shape; and

wherein said shape is selected from the group consisting essentially of cube-shaped, plate-shaped, rod-shaped, triangle-shaped, pentagon-shaped and hexagon-shaped.

8. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said monolayer has an area greater than approximately 20 cm².

9. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said monolayer is configured for molecular-specific sensing utilizing vibrational signatures.

10. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said monolayer is configured for use as a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate for molecular sensing.

11. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said monolayer is configured for the detection of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DENT).

12. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said monolayer is configured as a sensor.

13. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said monolayer is configured as an interconnect.

14. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said monolayer is a component of a multilayer structure.

15. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said monolayer is configured for lithography.

16. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said nanostructures comprise nanowires.

17. A structure as recited in claim 16, wherein said nanowires are ˜

50 nm in diameter.

18. A structure as recited in claim 16, wherein said nanowires have pentagonal cross-sections.

19. A structure as recited in claim 18, wherein said nanowires have pyramidal tips.

20. A structure as recited in claim 19, wherein said pyramidal tips have vertices as sharp as 2 nm.

21. A structure as recited in claim 16:

wherein said nanowires are close-packed as parallel arrays; and

wherein said nanowires have longitudinal axes that are aligned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said monolayer.

22. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said nanostructures are hydrophobic.

23. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said nanostructures have non-circular cross sections.

24. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said monolayer comprises a film.

25. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said nanostructures are ordered.

26. A structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said nanostructures comprise silver nanowires.